Election materials contract award followed due process

By Christian George

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied knowledge of All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Senator Aishatu Ahmed as one of the directors of Binani Printing Press Limited, a firm that won the contract to print sensitive materials for the general elections.

This came as an aftermath of media reports that the commission awarded the contract of printing sensitive election materials to a firm which the APC governorship contender is a co-owner.

The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement on Thursday night said the Commission conducted due diligence with the Corporate Affairs Commission and was satisfied that the printing company met the requisite technical capacity, security consciousness and expertise in printing security documents.

According to Nigerian Tribune, it was noted that Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed was not listed as one of the directors of Binani Printing Press Limited.

“Our attention has been drawn to a news report that the Commission awarded a contract for the printing of sensitive election materials to Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed. It was alleged in the report that she owns Binani Printing Press Limited,” Okoye said in a statement.

He explained that procurements in the Commission go through open competitive bidding and Binani Printing Press Limited was one of the security printing companies that applied to print security documents for the Commission.

After inspecting the company’s facility and carrying out due diligence at the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Commission was satisfied that they are qualified printers with the requisite technical capacity, security consciousness and expertise in printing security documents.

However, Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed was not listed as one of the Directors of Binani Printing Press Limited.

He added that “the Commission decided to print all the security documents for the 2023 General Election in the country to help Nigerian printers and assist in growing the national economy.”